Releasable clamp for vehicle muffler



April 21, 1964 A. COHEN 7 3,129,962 RELEASABLE CLAMP FOR VEHICLE MUFFLER Filed Dec. 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 4,? THUR COHEN United States Patent 3,129,962 RELEASABLE CLAMP FOR VEHICLE MUFFLER Arthur Cohen, 250 Merton Road, Apt. 305, Detroit, Mich. Filed Dec. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 243,843 4 Claims. (Cl. 285-317) The present invention relates to a mounting of vehicle mufilers, and more particularly to a means for removably securing the muffler to an exhaust pipe.

Heretofore, while the intake pipe of a mulfler is normally clamped to the exhaust pipe, due to rust and corrosion the release of the clamp is difiicult, often requiring sawing or the use of a torch for cutting the clamp apart. The use of such torch often results in damage to either the exhaust pipe or to the mufiler, together with the attendant hazards in the use of a blow torch for such purposes.

The present invention contemplates a simple interlocking means between the exhaust pipe and the intake pipe of a muffler by which with the two pipes arranged in assembled relation there will be provided a pair of complemental locking elements brought into engaging and retaining registry. Further relative movement of one of the locking elements relative to the other will cause a disengagement releasing the said pipes so that the muffler may be manually separated from the exhaust pipe.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and simplified means for interconnecting and securing the muffler to the exhaust pipe for normal usage.

These and other objects will be seen from the follow ing specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a muffler in registry with an exhaust pipe and secured thereto in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a partial section taken on line 55 of FIG. 3, illustrating the construction of the securing means in locked position, on an increased scale.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the elements in released condition.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to PEG. 1 there is shown fragmentarily the muffler M with associated vehicle exhaust pipe E secured together incorporating the present invention. The conventional tail pipe T is secured to the outlet 12 of the muffler and bracket B supports a portion of tail pipe T as suspended from the vehicle frame F fragmentarily shown.

Referring to FIG. 2, mufiler M has an intake pipe 11 and an outlet pipe 12, the said intake pipe cooperatively and snugly receiving the free end of exhaust pipe E. Outlet pipe 12 cooperatively and snugly receives a forward portion of tail pipe T.

Bracket 13 is anchored at 13 to a portion of exhaust pipe E and has secured thereto as by fasteners 14, or other securing means, one of a pair of complemental locking elements 15. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the locking element 15 is shown on an enlarged scale and in section in securing position in FIG. 5 and in partly released condition in FIG. 6.

A second bracket 16 is secured at 17 to intake pipe 16 of the mufller and on its end mounts the other aligned registering locking element 18.

Locking element 18 includes base 19, and projecting ICC therefrom are a pair of parallel spaced prongs 20 whose outer ends are rounded at 21 to serve as cam elements as best shown in FIG. 6 relative to detents 29, and which end portions of the said prongs include the undercut retaining means or notches 22.

Stop 23 is secured to and axially projects outward from base 19 and is adapted for cooperative registry with the outer end of plunger 35 which is axially and movably nested within partition 26 across and adjacent, but inwardly of the open end of housing 24 which forms a part of second locking element 15.

Housing 24 has an internal bore 25 into which said base 19 is snugly positioned as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. This is for the purpose of sealing the interior of housing 24 and associated parts against moisture and dirt when the muffler has been assembled in locked relation with respect to exhaust pipe E.

Partition 26 within housing 24 is apertured at 27 terminating in countersunk apertures 28 to cooperatively and guidably receive prongs 2t) of locking element 18.

A pair of detents 29 at their one ends are nested within recesses 3% in housing 24 and are pivotally mounted at 31 thereon with the coiled biasing springs 32 interposed in compression between said housing and outer end portions of said detents normally urging the same into a locking position, FIG. 5. The outer ends of detents 29 have locking projections 33 adapted to interlock within notches 22 at the ends of prongs 2i Said outer ends also have axially extending projections 34 which in the locking position of the prongs and detents are free of detainer 4t). Said detainer is suspended by fasteners 42 from stop 36 on plunger 35. This is the inoperative position of said plunger with stop 36 engaging partition 26 under the expansive action of coiled spring 38. Said spring nests at its lower end at 39 within housing 15, and loosely and cooperatively receives the extension 37 of the plunger. The outer end of said spring cooperatively and retainingly engages plunger 35 normally biasing the same to the release position, FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is illustrative of the relationship of the two locking elements 15 and 18 when the mufiler has been assembled and secured in retained and locked position with respect to exhaust pipe E shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In order to disengage the two locking members 15 and 13, the base 19 forming a part of member 18 is projected axially inward relative to housing 24 of locking member 15 such as to the position shown in FIG. 6. Here the rounded cam ends 21 of prongs 20 are in operative engagement with detents 29 and have rotated said detents about their pivot supports inwardly to the position shown. Said prongs at their retaining end portions 22 have become disengaged from members 33 on the ends of said detents.

With the detents 29 cammed to the release or disengaged position, FIG. 6, plunger 35 being moved axially inward, detainer 4a through its interior annular recess 41 cooperatively and retainingly receives projections 34 on said detents, for holding the said detents in the released and disengaged position relative to prongs 20. By this construction and due to the increased compression of spring 38 the locking member 18 may now be manually withdrawn and the prongs 2t disengaged from said detents, before detainer 40 will have released the said detents permitting them to return to the normal position, FIG. 5.

By this construction, when the member 18 is brought relatively into axial alignment with member 15 so that the base 19 nests within bore 25, sufficient inward movement will provide interlock between said prongs and detents. Thus for release purposes, a slight manual inward movement of the base 19 cams detents 29 to a disengaging position, FIG. 6, to thus permit withdraw-a1 of the base and the said prongs free of the said detents for disengaging the assembled mufiier with respect to the exhaust pipe.

In the present invention, it is contemplated that the locking means herein defined with respect to the cooperating axially aligned elements 15 and 18 could be employed for other locking purposes other than for securing a mufiler with respect to the exhaust pipe of a vehicle.

For example, the locking elements could be used for a trailer hitch or for a tow bar or for that matter securing together a pair of registering elements desired to be retained in registering relation, but which can easily be disengaged by the operation of locking elements 15 and 18 as hereinabove described.

While the present invention has been disclosed particularly with respect to the securing of .a muffler with respect to an exhaust pipe and for providing an easy release therefrom, it contemplated that the locking elements herein defined in detail with respect to F168. 5 and 5 could be employed for other locking purposes.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a vehicle exhaust pipe and a mufiier having an intake pipe cooperatively receiving said exhaust pipe; means for removably securing said pipes in assembled relation comprising a pair of aligned complemental locking elements respectively bracketed to said pipes, one locking element including a housing, a pair of spring biased detents pivotally mounted at their one ends within said housing and at their other ends including retaining means, the other locking element including a base adapted to slidably nest within said housing, a pair of parallel locking prongs projecting from said base extending into said housing and at their ends interlocked with said retaining means, a plunger axially and movably mounted within said housing and normally spring biased to an inoperative position, a detainer depending from said plunger normally spaced from said detents, inward movement of said base relative to the housing causing said prongs to cam against and disengage said detents and prongs and to move said detainer inward to retainingly engage said detents in released position against their spring bias, facilitating retraction of said prongs free of said detents to disassemble said muflier from said exhaust pipe.

2. In combination with a vehicle exhaust pipe and a muffler having an intake pipe cooperatively receiving said exhaust pipe; means for removably securing said pipes in assembled relation comprising a pair of aligned comple- 5 mental locking elements respectively bracketed to said d pipes, one locking element including a housing, a pair of spring biased detents pivotally mounted at their one ends within said housing, the other locking element including a base adapted to slidably nest within said tllOllS- ing a pair of parallel locking prongs projecting from said base extending into said housing and at their ends inter locked with said detents, a plunger axially and movably mounted within said housing and normally spring biased to an inoperative position, a detainer depending from said plunger normally spaced from said detents, inward movement of said base relative to the housing causing said prongs to cam against and disengage said detents and prongs and to move said detainer inward t-o retainingly engage said detents in released position against their spring bias, facilitating retraction of said prongs free of said detents to disassemble said muflier from said exhaust pipe.

3. The combination for removably securing a rnufller defined in claim 2, and a partition across and within the open end of the housing apertured to slidably receive said prongs and plunger, and stop means on said plunger engaging the interior of said partition limiting biased outward movement of said plunger and connected detainer in operative position.

4. A means for removably securing together a pair of registering elements in assembled relation comprising a pair of aligned complemental' locking elements respectively bracketed to said registering elements, one locking element including a housing, a pair of spring biased detents pivotally mounted at their one ends within said housing and at their other ends including retaining means, the other locking element including a base adapted to slidably nest within said housing, a pair of parallel locking prongs projecting from said base extending into said housing and at the ends of said prongs interlocked with said retaining means, a plunger axially and movably mounted within said housing and normally spring biased to an inoperative position, a detainer depending from said plunger normally spaced from said detent, inward movement of said base relative to the housing causing said prongs to cam against and disengage said detents and prongs and to move said detainer inward to retainingly engage said detents in released position against their spring bias, facilitating retraction of said prongs free of said detents to disassernble said registering elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Seeler Dec. 4, 1956 

4. A MEANS FOR REMOVABLY SECURING TOGETHER A PAIR OF REGISTERING ELEMENTS IN ASSEMBLED RELATION COMPRISING A PAIR OF ALIGNED COMPLEMENTAL LOCKING ELEMENTS RESPECTIVELY BRACKETED TO SAID REGISTERING ELEMENTS, ONE LOCKING ELEMENT INCLUDING A HOUSING, A PAIR OF SPRING BIASED DETENTS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT THEIR ONE ENDS WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND AT THEIR OTHER ENDS INCLUDING RETAINING MEANS, THE OTHER LOCKING ELEMENT INCLUDING A BASE ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY NEST WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF PARALLEL LOCKING PRONGS PROJECTING FROM SAID BASE EXTENDING INTO SAID HOUSING AND AT THE ENDS OF SAID PRONGS INTERLOCKED WITH SAID RETAINING MEANS, A PLUNGER AXIALLY AND MOVABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND NORMALLY SPRING BIASED TO AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, A DETAINER DEPENDING FROM SAID PLUNGER NORMALLY SPACED FROM SAID DETENT, INWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID BASE RELATIVE TO THE HOUSING CAUSING SAID PRONGS TO 